Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Orlando Hudson is fine. Torre was having lunch with his wife when Hudson texted him. "Evidently he's fine. The doctors gave him the OK."

Matt Kemp didn't want to sit today, but "we have to get X-Man here a game."

Praised the productive bench for being able to give the regulars full days off. The bench players previously having been regulars themselves helps. It's important to have good role-players.

Would prefer to have an extra player instead of 13 pitchers, but "something keeps cropping up," like Eric Stults' thumb. But the shortage of bench players hasn't significantly affected his managing.

Monday's starter: Stults. Tuesday's starter: Eric Milton. Meaning that Milton would be available in tonight's game.

Russell Martin is fine. Likes his at-bats. Is making contact. Sometimes Martin gets a little frustrated when trying to go for an extra-base hit or home run. "But when we have men in scoring position, he's right there where we want him to be with his approach."

Doesn't think Andre Ethier's struggles are related to Manny Ramirez's absence. Maybe if he were hitting in front of Manny, but Ethier's always hit behind him. "It doesn't make sense for it to be an issue other than if he feels that he's got to replace him by producing more." Ethier feels good physically.

Re: Manny. "He's not here, and we can't all of a sudden decide we're going to do more to make up for it."

Ethier reminds him of Paul O'Neill in terms of intensity.

Thought the team was a little impatient at the plate against Tim Redding, which is partially a function of playing out of the division.

"We've been really doing well out of the bullpen. Because of the 13 pitchers I think we've had the ability to rest some of them." Especially useful because the starting pitchers haven't consistently gone seven innings.

Has not talked to Manny since Sunday. Getting him back working out with the team has to be on a time frame Manny is comfortable with.

Calls Mike Scioscia "a great manager," crediting his coming up through the Dodgers organization as part of the reason why. "I'm sort of a little partial to catchers being pretty smart anyway. He's a bright kid and he knows what he's doing." Catcher is "the only position player that can see the whole field and see things develop and really anticipate things happening."

Compares the Angels organization to the Minnesota Twins. "They can replace parts." "It's all about contact, speed, defense and pitching. And that stuff never goes into a slump."